jacket potatoes for large numbers

[Smithagain]

I have about 25 people coming for a meal in a church hall this evening. I have a rayburn range at home and have offered to do the jacket potatoes. Which do really well in the rayburn, but I've never made quite this many before!

I have to get this right, so please post here your hints and tips for baking potatoes for a crowd. How much am I going to have to increase the baking time? I can put them in as early as I like, but I don't want to create burnt offerings!

And I presume they are OK being transferred to the venue well wrapped up in foil and an insulated box?

As a school cook I used to do jacket spuds daily for large numbers - put them in about 2 or 2.5hrs before you need, and you may want to stab them first as normally one will explode! but this is optional. You don't need to do anything special, and yes, foil and an insulated box sounds ideal for transport - or even lots of tea towels. They are very unlikely to burn (I've never seen it happen) but should have lovely crispy skins. You know your oven and whether it is hotter at front/back so its up to you if you feel the need to move them around during cooking
HTH, have a great evening

agree with yorky

i did 25 spuds last weekend for bonfire night

prick and bung in for about 2hrs - try and amke sure that they are roughly the same size

wrap in foil, though they might then go a bit soggy

just a tiny tip for future use.. LOL.. if you brush the spuds with a little olive oil.. you can the sprinkle some garlic salt on them before you cook.. it is deightfully yum ( if you like garlic).

also very nice on mini baked potatoes

Thanks all. Am feeling more confident now!